Razor blade cartridge

ABSTRACT

The specific disclosure provides a razor blade cartridge comprising a plastic blade seat member, a blade and a cap member. The seat and the blade have transversely spaced and transversely elongated apertures. The cap has at least two posts extending downwardly through the apertures. The posts initially have an outer longitudinal dimension equal to or greater than the longitudinal dimensions of the apertures, and an outer transverse dimension less than the transverse dimensions of the apertures to provide a longitudinal interference fit of the posts in the apertures. The longitudinal interference fit aligns the blade cutting edge with respect to a transversely elongated guard surface on the seat.

United States Patent [191 Ferraro June 24, 1975 [73] Assignee:Warner-Lambert (10., Morris Plains,

22 Filed: Jan. 14, 1974 21 Appl. No.: 433,030

[52] US. Cl. 30/47; 30/50; 30/75 [51] Int. Cl. B26B 21/06; B26B 21/22[58] Field of Search 30/32, 47, 50, 75, 346.58

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,675,323 7/1972 Braginetz30/32 3,703,764 11/1972 Perry 30/47 X 3,724,070 4/1973 Dorion 30/47Primary Examiner-Al Lawrence Smith Assistant Examiner-Gary L. SmithAttorney, Agent, or FirmJames F. Powers, Jr.; Albert H. Graddis 5 7ABSTRACT The specific disclosure provides a razor blade cartridgecomprising a plastic blade seat member, a blade and a cap member. Theseat and the blade have transversely spaced and transversely elongatedapertures. The cap has at least two posts extending downwardly throughthe apertures. The posts initially have an outer longitudinal dimensionequal to or greater than the longitudinal dimensions of the apertures,and an outer transverse dimension less than the transverse dimensions ofthe apertures to provide a longitudinal interference fit of the posts inthe apertures. The longitudinal interference fit aligns the bladecutting edge with respect to a transversely elongated guard surface onthe seat.

5 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures RAZOR BLADE CARTRIDGE BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION The present invention relates to safety razors of the typehaving at least one blade permanently bonded in a replaceable cartridge.More particularly, the present invention relates to means for aligningthe cartridge components.

A critical step in assembling razor blade cartridges is to properlyalign the blade cutting edges with respect to guard surfaces. US. Pat.No. 3,724,070 provides for loosely fitting, blades on posts extendingfrom a cap member through a blade seat member. The blades are then movedforwardly to abut notches in the cap member, and the cartridge isthereafter bonded together by deforming the lower ends of the posts.Such movement of the blades during assembly raises a degree of risk innot properly aligning the blades. Further, there is a danger that thedeformed posts will not maintain the blade in a desired location duringshipment and use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention, thereis provided a razor blade cartridge comprising a plastic seat member, ablade and a cap member. The seat and the blade have transversely spacedand transversely elongated apertures. The cap has at least two postsextending downwardly through the apertures. The posts initially have anouter longitudinal dimension equal to or greater than the longitudinaldimensions of the apertures, and an outer transverse dimension less thanthe transverse dimensions of the apertures to provide a longitudinalinterference fit of the posts in the apertures. The longitudinalinterference fit aligns the blade cutting edge with respect to atransversely elongated guard surface on the seat.

The invention is also suitable for aligning more than one blade andspacing means between the cap member and the blade seat member.

Thus, it is clear that the present invention avoids the need forlongitudinal movement of the blade(s) after they are located between thecap member and the blade seat member. Further, the blade(s) cannotlongitudinally move after the components are bonded together.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective viewof a specific embodiment of the present invention;

FIG/2 isa front elevational view of the cartridge;

FIG. 3 isa rear elevational view of the cartridge;

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of a cap component of the cartridge; 7 I

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the cap member;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of a blade seat member of the cartridge;

FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of the blade seat;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the cartridge;

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of perforated blade material suitable to formblades for the cartridge,

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 10-10 of FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS A razor blade cartridge 10 has apair of tandemly mounted blades l4, l8 bonded permanently between a capmember and a blade seat member 12. The

blades 14, 18 each have a single cutting edge 38, 39, and are maintainedin a vertically separated state by a spacer member 16.

The cartridge 10 has a T-shaped channel 69 (FIG. 8) formed by inwardlydirected flange members 70, 71 for releasably securing the cartridge ona holder (not shown).

The spacer member 16 has a rearwardly extending flange 59, and sevenspacer elements 55, 58 joined to the flange 59 by vertically extendingmembers 60. The inner spacer elements 55 have beveled forward surfaces56, 57 which may extend outwardly a slight distance from the top bladecutting edge 38. The spacer elements 55, 58 form shaving residuechannels 61 (FIG. 2) which extend rearwardly from between the cuttingedges 38, 39 to exit ports 47 49 (FIG. 3) formed at the rear 46 of thecartridge 10. The spacer member 16 also has transversely elongated outerholes 28, 31, and circular inner holes 29, 30.

With reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, the cap member 20 has four posts 22 25extending downwardly from recesses 50 in the underside of the cap member20. The cap member 20 also has opposing downwardly extending side walls53, 54, and a pair of spaced downwardly extending front walls 51, 52.

With reference to FIG. 5, the outer posts 22, 25 have a beveled lowerportion 40, an intermediate cylindrical portion 41, an upper cylindricalportion 43, and an upwardly and outwardly beveled intermediate portion42 interconnecting the intermediate and upper cylindrical portions 41,43. The inner posts 23, 24 are cylindrical at 45 and have a beveledlower end 44.

With reference to FIG. 1, the blades 14; 18 have a pair of spaced andtransversely elongated slots or apertures 26, 27; 32, 33. As clearlyshown in FIG. 8, the top blade 18 has a shorter longitudinal length thanthe bottom blade 14.

Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7, the blade seat member 12 has a pair oftransversely elongated outer holes or perforations 34, 37, and a pair ofcircular inner perforations 35, 36. Each one of the perforations 34 37has a beveled upper portion 82 for guiding the lower beveled portions40, 44 of the posts 22 25 therein.

The blade seat member 12 also has a plateau 62 for seating the bottomblade 14, and a rear step 63 for receiving the flange 59 of the spacermember 16. A guard bar 64 is supported forwardly of the blade seatmember 12 by spaced support elements 65. Surfaces 66, 67 extend upwardlyfrom the outer ends of the guard bar 64 to cover the outer corners ofthe bottom blade cutting edge 39. A boss 68 extends rearwardly from theblade seat member 12, and functions to maintain the cartridge 10 in adispenser (not shown). The T-shaped channel 69 has a notch 72 formed inthe flange member 71 for receiving a holder spring (not shown). Stopmembers 80, 81 are provided at one end of the T- shaped channel 69 forpreventing a holder (not shown) from passing therethrough. US. Pat. No.3,783,510 discloses a holder and a dispenser suitable for use with thespecific embodiment described hereinabove.

The cartridge 10 can be assembled by inverting the cap member 20, andsequentially placing the top blade 18, the spacer member 16, the bottomblade 14 and the blade seat member 12 on the cap member 20 with theposts 22, 23 passing through the aperture or slot 26, the holes 28, 29,the aperture or slot 32 and the perforations 34, 35, and with the posts24, 25 correspondingly passing through the aperture or slot 27, theholes 30, 3 l, the aperture or slot 33 and the perforations 36, 37. Thelower ends of the posts 22 25 are stacked or otherwise deformed at thelower ends thereof as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 to permanently bond thecomponents together. The cap member 20, the blades 14, 18 and the spacermember 16 have cut-out portions for receiving alignment members (notshown) during assembly. After the cartridge is stacked, the alignmentmembers are removed.

The intermediate cylindrical portions 41 of the outer posts 22, 25 aredimensioned to have a close longitudinal fit in the blade apertures 26,27, 32, 33, the spacer outer holes 28, 31 and the blade seat outerperforations 34, 37. The intermediate cylindrical portions 41 may have alongitudinal dimension equal to the longitudinal dimension of the bottomblade apertures 32, 33 to provide an interference fit.

The intermediate beveled portions 42 of the outer posts 22, 25 serve togradually increase the longitudinal dimensions of the posts 22, 25 suchthat the upper cylindrical portions 43 have a longitudinal interferencefit in the blade apertures 26, 27, 32, 33 and the blade seatperforations 34, 37, and a very close fit in the outer spacer holes 28,31. The inner posts 23, 24 have a close fit through the blade apertures26, 27, 32, 33, the inner spacer holes 29, 30 and the inner blade seatperforations 35, 36.

The following table provides suitable dimensions for the posts 22 25,the apertures 26, 27, 32, 33, the holes 28 31 and the perforations 3437.

Perforations 35. 36 (diameter) The transverse dimensions of the bladeapertures or slots 26, 27, 32, 33, the outer spacer holes 28, 31 and theouter seat perforations 34, 37 are greater than the diameters of theouter posts 22, 25 to provide deformation of the outer posts 22, 25 in atransverse direction as interference fitting occurs in a longitudinaldirection, and thereby provide alignment of the cutting edges 38, 39with respect to the guard bar 64.

FIG. 9 shows a perforated strip of blade material having cutting edges38, 39 formed on the outer sides. The strip is cut along the dashedlines to provide the top and bottom blades 14, 18, and the portions 96are discardedor recycled.

What is claimed is:

1. A razor blade cartridge comprising:

a. a plastic blade seat member including a transversely elongated guardsurface defining a front surface of said blade seat member, and at leasttwo transversely spaced perforations therethrough, each one of saidperforations being transversely elongated and having a firstlongitudinal dimension;

b. a first blade located on said blade seat member including a forwardcutting edge spaced upwardly and rearwardly of said guard surface, andat least two transversely spaced apertures, each one of said first bladeapertures being transversely elongated and having a second longitudinaldimension greater than said first dimension;

c. a spacer member located on said first blade including at least twotransversely spaced holes;

(1. a second blade located on said spacer member including a forwardcutting edge spaced upwardly and rearwardly of the forward cutting edgeof said first blade, and at least two transversely spaced apertures,each one of said second blade apertures being transversely elongated andhaving a third longitudinal dimension greater than said seconddimension; and

e. a cap member located above said second blade and including at leasttwo plastic posts extending downwardly through said aperture s, saidholes and said perforations, said posts initially having a longitudinalouter dimension equal to or greater than the longitudinal dimensions ofsaid apertures and said perforations to provide a longitudinalinterference fit of said posts in said apertures and said perforations.

2. The cartridge of claim 1 wherein said spacer member holes aretransversely elongated.

3. The cartridge of claim 1 wherein each one of said posts has a lowercylindrical portion and an upper cylindrical portion, the diameter ofsaid upper cylindrical portion being greater than the diameter of saidlower cylindrical portion.

4. The cartridge of claim 3 wherein each one of said posts has anupwardly and outwardly beveled portion interconnecting said upper andlower cylindrical portions.

5. The cartridge of claim 1 wherein said posts are deformed at the lowerends thereof to prevent removal of said posts from said perforations.

1. A razor blade cartridge comprising: a. a plastic blade seat memberincluding a transversely elongated guard surface defining a frontsurface of said blade seat member, and at least two transversely spacedperforations therethrough, each one of said perforations beingtransversely elongated and having a first longitudinal dimension; b. afirst blade located on said blade seat member including a forwardcutting edge spaced upwardly and rearwardly of said guard surface, andat least two transversely spaced apertures, each one of said first bladeapertures being transversely elongated and having a second longitudinaldimension greater than said first dimension; c. a spacer member locatedon said first blade including at least two transversely spaced holes; d.a second blade located on said spacer member including a forward cuttingedge spaced upwardly and rearwardly of the forward cutting edge of saidfirst blade, and at least two transversely spaced apertures, each one ofsaid second blade apertures being transversely elongated and having athird longitudinal dimension greater than said second dimension; and e.a cap member located above said second blade and including at least twoplastic posts extending downwardly through saId apertures, said holesand said perforations, said posts initially having a longitudinal outerdimension equal to or greater than the longitudinal dimensions of saidapertures and said perforations to provide a longitudinal interferencefit of said posts in said apertures and said perforations.
 2. Thecartridge of claim 1 wherein said spacer member holes are transverselyelongated.
 3. The cartridge of claim 1 wherein each one of said postshas a lower cylindrical portion and an upper cylindrical portion, thediameter of said upper cylindrical portion being greater than thediameter of said lower cylindrical portion.
 4. The cartridge of claim 3wherein each one of said posts has an upwardly and outwardly beveledportion interconnecting said upper and lower cylindrical portions. 5.The cartridge of claim 1 wherein said posts are deformed at the lowerends thereof to prevent removal of said posts from said perforations.